


In Another Universe

by Swimmergirl



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Light Angst, M/M, Matt Holt is a Good Sibling, Matt is an Angel, Self-Sacrifice, keith needs love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-08-28 00:19:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16712857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swimmergirl/pseuds/Swimmergirl
Summary: “That’s the thing” Matt said, letting out a long exhale as he bit his bottom lip. “He almost didn’t get the chance to go home”On the way back to Earth, Matt tells the Paladins something they’ve needed to know about Keith for some time.





	In Another Universe

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Long time no see, huh? Sorry for being gone so long. I’m working on a lot of bigger projects and also mentally bracing myself for season 8. This story takes place right after season 6, before the fact that Voltron went missing for years was revealed. It addresses Team Voltron learning of Keith’s attempted sacrifice. I really hope you’ll enjoy, and don’t forget to leave a comment too!

“Hey, Matt!” Pidge said as she waved cheerfully to her brother, who was displayed on the Green Lion’s monitor. 

Matt had asked to call. He said he wanted to discuss something important with the Paladins, and Pidge was happy to oblige. 

“Hey, how is everyone?” Matt replied, giving a soft smile. 

“Alright, I guess.” Pidge sighed, lowering her gaze to the floor. “With Lotor and the Castle gone, we’re finally going back to Earth. Can you meet us at the next galaxy? I want you to come.”

Matt’s face lit up as he nodded his head eagerly. “Of course!” He said “I’ll be there soon!”

Pidge’s smile returned. “So, what did you want to tell me?” She asked, cocking her head to the side. 

“Oh, right” Matt’s grin faltered into a much more somber look. “Could you get everyone else online? They should hear this too.”

“Sure.” Pidge said, pressing a few buttons on the Green Lion’s dashboard. Soon, three other faces appeared beneath Matt’s. 

“Hm... where’s Keith?” She asked, noticing the fourth screen was failing to appear. 

“He’s talking with Krolia” Shiro replied from inside the Blue Lion. “She wants to go and see her home again with him”

“That’s the thing” Matt said, letting out a long exhale as he bit his bottom lip. “He almost didn’t get the chance to go home”

“What are you talking about?” Allura asked, gazing quizzically at her screen. 

“During the battle at Naxzela, we couldn’t get through those shields to stop the bomb. At least, none of our weapons could...” Matt began.

“Yeah, because Lotor’s ship was the only thing that could break them, right?” Hunk responded as if that was obvious. 

“No. It wasn’t. Technically, a couple of our ships could have penetrated them if they impacted with enough speed.” Matt hesitated as he choked out the remainder of his tale. 

“Keith... tried to penetrate those shields. He was willing to-“ Matt’s voice broke slightly as he coughed to regain his composure, the Paladins looking intensely at him with disbelief. 

“If Lotor hadn’t shown up, Keith wouldn’t have survived.” Matt said, finally finding the words. 

Everyone stayed silent for a few moments, but the tension made it feel like hours. 

Lance was the first to react, shutting off his screen entirely. 

Hunk simply stared blankly at the screen before muttering “I-I didn’t know..”

“None Of us did...” Shiro added somberly, refusing to look anywhere but the floor in front of him. 

Pidge managed to reach out to another button on her control pad, hovering her finger over it carefully. 

“Thank you, Matt, for telling us.” She said, voice shaking violently. 

“No problem...” he softly replied. “See you all soon.” 

“Yeah... see ya.” Pidge cracked a tiny smile at her brother as everyone else waved goodbye before Matt’s face dissolved back into the night sky. 

Without hesitation, she pressed the button in front of her. A soft ringing sound was heard echoing throughout the silent Lion’s. A few moments Later, the ringing stopped as Keith appeared before them. 

“Hey guys, sorry I missed that call. Krolia and I were talking and I guess I didn’t see the message. What’s up?” 

“Keith. We need to talk?” Shiro muttered as Keith just looked confusedly at his teammates. 

“About what?” He asked, blissfully unaware of what the Paladins has just discovered. 

There was a long moment of tense, uncomfortable silence where no one knew what to say, or even how to say it. Finally Allura spoke. 

“Why did you try to sacrifice yourself at Naxzela?” She whispered, looking straight at Keith with eyes desperate for answers. 

“W-what?” Keith stammered as his eyes widened in shock and horror. “I-I...”

“Keith. We’re your friends. Please, please talk to us. We just want to go understand.” Hunk said, pleading for Keith to confesses. 

Keith released a sharp sigh as he quietly but firmly replied. 

“I guess I thought it was the only option. I wasn’t on Voltron anymore. The universe doesn’t need me. But they need Voltron. They needed you. 

“We need you, too!” Pidge cried, tears threatening to spill as she sniffled. 

Aw, Pidge, no...” Hunk said as he began to sniff as well. “You’re going to make me cry!” 

“I’m sorry,” Keith mumbled, refusing to meet his teammate’s faces. “I just... wanted to do the right thing.”

Pidge and Hunk wiped their face’s on their sleeves as Shiro’s firm gaze softened into a more compassionate one. 

“We know, Keith.” He said, still a hint of sadness in his voice. “We’re just scared. You mean so much to us. Not because you’re a part of Voltron, but because you’re a part of our family. We need you. We understand why you did it, but please, promise us you won’t ever intentionally put your life in danger like that again.”

Keith raised his eyes to look at everyone, scanning each individual expression like a piece of artwork. 

Hunk was smiling at him, a few droplets still perched on his eyelids. 

Pidge was nodding in agreement with Shiro, signature glasses removed. Her eyes were pleading with him to agree to the oath. 

Allura looked heartbroken and guilty. She was clearly struggling to comprehend the fact that in some other realities, Keith wouldn’t be standing here. 

Keith’s eyes widened in realization as he looked upon his friends, no, his family. He missed them. 

It was so lonely at the Blade. Sure, the others were nice enough, but when you went into every mission knowing the person standing next to you could die any moment, it’s hard to get too close. Not that Keith was ever good at connecting with anyone in the first place. 

But here, Keith felt something. A funny feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he looked at these people. 

He wanted to stay. He wanted to be with them. He wanted to protect them. 

A well of emotion stirred inside Keith as a soft smile crept onto his face. 

“Okay” he said. The smile grew as everyone’s expressions morphed into happy and relived ones. 

“Thank you, Keith” Allura and Shiro said in unison, giggling when they realized it. 

“Take care of yourself, man. When we get back to Earth, I’ll make you some cookies, so you’ll have to stay alive until then!” Hunk joked, giving Keith a wink. 

“Seriously. Don’t miss those cookies.” Pidge added with a smirk. 

“I won’t” Keith replied, almost laughing at the pair’s antics. 

“Okay. Goodbye Keith.” Shiro said as Allura reached to disband the call. 

A chorus of farewells was heard as everyone waved to each other before disappearing from the screen. 

Keith sighed as he sat back in his chair, processing the conversation. 

“Not much of a talker, are you Mullet?” 

Keith yelped as a familiar voice crackled through his helmet. 

“Lance? You weren’t on the call, how did you-“ 

“You forgot to turn off the comm link in your helmet. I could hear everything...” Lance mumbled before Keith heard the sound of a button being pressed. 

Before long, Lance’s screen appeared before him. 

“Why didn’t you just join the call?” Keith questioned, slightly annoyed that Lance was eavesdropping. 

“I-I didn’t want to.” Was his simple response.

Keith leaned forward to get a closer look at Lance, who seemed to be slightly embarrassed. Keith gasped when he noticed the faint tear stains streaked across his face. 

“Lance, are you crying?” He asked. Lance immediately broke eye contact as he stifled a sniff. 

“N-no” he stammered. “It’s just... s-space allergies.”

Keith raised an eyebrow as Lance sighed and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand in defeat. 

“I just... didn’t want anyone to see...” he mumbled, looking back at Keith with slightly puffy, blue eyes. 

“Oh” was all Keith could manage. 

“Y-you’re an idiot? You know that right?” Lance stammered, sniffling more often now. 

“Yeah.” Keith smirked with an eye roll. “And a heathen, and emo, and-“

“I’m not joking, Keith!” Lance snapped, slamming both fists down on the sides of his chair. 

Keith immediately froze in stunned silence as Lance continued. 

“What you did was insane! We would have found another way to stop Naxzela. There had to be another way. I know you said you won’t do it again, b-but” Lance was interrupted by a small sob as he held his hand over his mouth in an attempt to force it back down. 

“Lance? What’s wrong?” Keith asked, worriedly gazing at the Red Paladin. 

“I-I. I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t come back that day...” Lance croaked as more and more tears rolled down his face. 

“We wouldn’t have even known. We would have thought we won. But then... we’d meet up with the blade, or try to call you, but you wouldn’t be there...”

“Lance I-“ Keith tried to speak.

“You wouldn’t be there, Keith!” Lance screamed, silencing him. 

“I... I don’t know what we’d do...” He sobbed quietly, constantly wiping his eyes. 

“I know you said the universe doesn’t need you. But... my universe does.” He muttered, trying to calm his crying. 

“I...” Lance paused as he took a deep breath, looking Keith right in his Amethyst eyes. 

“We love you, Keith.”

There was a few moments of silence before Keith finally spoke. 

“Lance, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to protect everyone.”

“I-I know...” Lance sniffed. 

“I have to go, Kovalin wants to discuss Lotor’s defeat.” Keith said, clearly not wanting to leave the conversation. 

“Alright,” Lance said, much more composed than before, but still sniffling softly. “Stay safe, Samurai” he said, flashing Keith a soft smile. 

“You too, Sharpshooter.” Keith replied, matching Lance’s expression. 

Keith carefully disconnected the call, making sure to mute his helmet as well. 

He regained his composure as the call from Kovalin rang throughout he Black Lion, and as Keith picked it up, he promised himself that he’d do everything he could to come back to people that he was proud to call his family.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a comment, I adore reading them! Until next time everyone!


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